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Why Magic and Mentalism Are Not Art

Guest post by Kenton Knepper

Mystery Performers are once again questioning why magic and mentalism is not treated as a serious art. Lots of debates going on about this.

My view? No one should treat magic and mentalism as art. Why should they when practitioners of magic and mentalism don’t act as if they are learning or performing an art form? There are teachers and insider schools for people who want to perform actual Mystery ART. Mostly though, mentalists and magicians just want to “do good tricks that kill” audiences.

That’s it. That’s why mentalism and magic are not treated as art. Artists use their art form to express something within themselves. We, on the whole, don’t.

Art forms make people reconsider the meaning of life, deal with societal issues, point out what human beings are doing, and what life is all about.

Artists use all other art forms to express themselves.

Mentalism and magic? Hardly ever.

I know. I have proof. I can see quickly that most people buy Kolossall Killer, rather than my works that take performers to higher, more meaningful and powerful artistic levels.

The works that turn performers into artists are the most respected and the least works sold, because mentalists and magicians don’t want to do art. They want the respect and the label, but they don’t really want to be artists. If they do, they surely don’t act like it. They certainly don’t put their money where their mouths are.

Artists share their inner worlds with their audiences. Magicians and mentalists do NOT want to do that, or to learn ways to do art with their magic and mentalism, even when it has been made absurdly easy for them.

Mentalists and magicians in the main just want to buy more decks of cards, electronics and tricks, and kill their audiences.

Until that changes, mentalism and magic will never be considered art by the Public. WE don’t treat magic and mentalism as real art, so why the hell should anyone else?

— Kenton Knepper

I asked Kenton which of his works address these issues; these are the ones he particularly recommends: